BBC World News: Presentation

BBC WORLD can not be complacent especially after CNNI try to stop the bleed with the new shows. I see this as an improvement and refindment of the schedule. I don't think it will be too personality driven like CNNI but it will focus on the news and unifying the schedule without the constant break in programs and unlocking the regionals news like Asia Today, ABR, middle East Business Report, African Business Report and India Business Report. The hour long programs will have evverything in them without the separation of the channel daily out put. Most importantly their will be live news and they will have the most live news in their schedule than any of the competition

Your argument that these changes will focus more on the news rather than the personalities is ludicrous. Rewind 5 years and every bulletin on BBC World was entitled "BBC News". No names. No gimmicks. Just straight news. From February, the presenters' names are going to be in the titles of the programmes. How can you argue that this is moving away from a focus on personalities?

To be honest, I share ginnyfan's concerns. The reason I've switched off CNN in recent times is because of the Americanisation of its output. If BBC World follows suit, there won't be any option for a more straightforward approach to international news. Far from simplifying the schedule, I find such changes confuse me. "World Report". "iDesk". "Amanpour". I just want news, dammit!

Given BBC World's relatively modest working budget, I suspect that the changes in output will also be relatively modest. They aren't suddenly going to have 5 new sets, and they won't have the budget to commission whole hours or half hours of bespoke content.

They may chose different types of story (what type of interviewee to book etc.) to cover outside core news, but I would expect there to be a significant and chunky news bulletin made up from a core news team still.

This feels like an approach to give the schedule a bit more light and shade and a bit more texture, and also to make use of the growing popularity and international profiles of some of the BBC World presentes for marketing/branding purposes. If your presenters are a big asset (which BBC World's are) why not make the most of them?

Lyse Doucet became well known during the War on Terror for NOT wearing a flak jacket for purely cosmetic purposes when reporting from Pakistan (as many US anchors did...)

You serious?

That's why Lyse Doucet is as "Hard as Nails". The best in the business.

Indiantelevision.com's News Room Headlines

BBC World News launches 'The Yearbook'; gets Chivas Regal as title sponsor

Indiantelevision.com Team
(22 December 2009 5:25 pm)


MUMBAI: BBC World News has launched a new series of vignettes called The Yearbook and has whisky brand Chivas Regal as the title sponsor.

The Yearbook series follows the stories of six real life school friends from Singapore, whose lives have taken different and interesting routes since they left school.

Each one-minute vignette takes up the story of a different individual, while showing how the friends have maintained their relationships together since they graduated.

Apart from sponsoring the event, Chivas Regal will also be taking a supporting advertising campaign online on bbc.com from January 2010.


TheYearbook vignettes will run in BBC World News Asia Pacific feed from this week until the end of March. Advertising for the brand will also appear on BBC Knowledge.

Says BBC advertising sales regional director Cindy Tan, "We're happy that Chivas Regal has chosen to sponsor the Yearbook vignettes and to advertise with us. It's a real vindication of our strength in the Asia Pacific region and the way our multi-platform offering helps advertisers to reach a high quality audience. We have a compelling offering for luxury advertisers, and particularly strong evidence that such brands thrive in the environment of bbc.com."

Adds Chivas Regal VP - marketing Xavier Beysecker, "BBC World News has a strong and broad distribution in Asia, and its reach amongst our key audiences makes it perfect for us. The fact that we can extend our campaign across a range of channels, including bbc.com. Also, this means we are communicating across multiple touch-points. The Yearbook series matches the values of our 'Live with Chivalry' campaign perfectly, and we're looking forward to seeing it on air."

In case you were ever curious, this is what BBC World simulcasts on PBS in America look like. They now run the countdown sequence but they put in a sponsor break in between the countdown and open.

The embedded video shows up when I preview this post, but it doesn't when I post it, so here's a link instead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qmu235YF9w

I have to say that is weird. I didn't know public service broadcasters had to actively advertise their sponsors to unsubtly. It makes what I'm used to "countdown, headlines, titles, news" seem so weird. Also BBC World straight after kids programmes!?

Your link also led me to this link, Charles. I wish it was double headed more often.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCES8I8g5WE&feature=related

And awesome extended music too.

I'm quiet show it is due to the time zone. Being on the east coast I get BBC WORLD News on PBS at 6pm. At that time the kids programs have finish. I think Charles is in Denver so his time zone will be different. Most of the kids programs end by 3 pm on PBS minutes before 4.

That is really great. BBC WORLD only uses double anchors like that when there is a major breaking continous news. like the death of Bhutto, Iraq War, Alan Johnston release. Why don't they use that business. I would love to see them update it and make it apart of the news breaks, opt in and out and end of the news.